Los Gatos, California
Tasted Sunday, May 21, 2023 by drwine2001 with 151 views
Two extremely resourceful, single minded Rioja aficionados spent several years assembling a set of rare cellar treasures from domestic and European sources to put together this truly once in a lifetime tasting. Unlimited thanks to Eddie and Rich for hosting this event and inviting me to attend.
The red wines were all double decanted 3 to 4 hours before the start of the tasting. The whites were opened but not decanted approximately 3 hours prior to their being poured. All attendees were provided with a list of the wines in each flight which were then served blind. A paella dinner afterward was accompanied by younger wines.
Most of these wines were in the "light red with some browning" range, so I've only noted the color of individual wines that were outliers.
In red, one could only marvel at the quality and vigor of many of the 1964's. We all noted that the flight of wines in Burgundy bottles eclipsed the Bordeaux bottle flight, often showing more color, depth, and youthful fruit. Was this because of intentional differences in vinification, the randomness of tasting nearly 60 year old bottles, or some other reason? I don't know, but that is how it turned out on this day. The best wines could hold their own with remaining 1964 vintage wine from anywhere in the world.
As for the whites, there were a few misses with oxidation reigning supreme, but how could one complain when 2 wines from the 1930's plus an idiosyncratically sweet wine from 1964 showed as magnificently as these did? These ancient whites proved to be much more than curiosities. It was fascinating and a great privilege to try them, and everyone was agog at the longevity.
1964 Berberana Rioja Cosecha Especial Gran Reserva Centenario
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Significant browning. Baked sweet berry fruit and nuttiness on the nose. Medium weight. Mouthcoating entry with some fruit, high acidity, abruptly stalkier back end with a strident off note and definitely some oxidation. Borderline flawed. Like drinking a Madeira.
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1964 Federico Paternina Rioja Gran Reserva
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Smoky, camphor-filled aromas to start. Lovely light weight, more soil than black fruit, a bit of cocoa, and again, very high acidity. Its elegance shines through and the length is excellent, but the fruit comes up short and the finish is marred by sourness from the overbalanced acidity.
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1964 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Pale with browning edge. Complex scents of balsam wood, spice, red fruit, and celery stalk. Light to medium bodied, excellent acidity, and the fruit gradually sweetens. Elegant, subtle, long, and mineral. Excellent and very much in keeping with the lean Tondonia style. My only quibble was an off note in the finish that deprived it of some harmony.
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1964 La Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva 904
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Quite pale. Balsam and dark fruit on the nose. Ethereal, balanced feel in the mouth-a real wisp as it crosses the palate. Outstanding equilibrium of dark fruit and soil, and the acidity is not as strident as in the first few wines of the flight. Amazingly, the fruit really comes up with more air, and there is a late citrus twist. Terrific complexity and a lingering finish with a hint of bitter chocolate. Superb liveliness and freshness. My favorite wine of the flight and a close second place in terms of the group ranking. Probably the best La Rioja Alta wine I've ever had, and completely free of the strong American oak imprint that younger examples show.
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1964 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Excelso - Gran Reserva
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja
Beautiful spice and mint aromas. Light weight, full of soil but less remaining fruit than some of the others. Moderate acidity. A real terroir wine all the way through to the finish whose fragrance and complexity grew on me as I spent time with it. Its long finish is slightly squashed by overbalanced acidity.
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